Benefits of Burning Incense – Sadhguru

From Sadhguru Blessings

What is the the significance of burning incense and how incense should be used in modern times?

Incense is usually Without ash, you know, there is no incense. Well, the significance of this is, there are certain substances when they burn,  one thing is there is fragrance, of course, which is pleasant for the nostrils.  And incense burning is about the atmosphere, not about you,  because different spaces, indoors especially, in different spaces there are different kinds of one thing it smells. There is also different kinds of energy structures which will happen.  The shape and size of the room will do this.This is why there is such a attention to the shape and size of the room.  In Indian culture there is a whole attention to the shape and size of the room in which you live,  because the shape and size of the room in some way, if it is not heavily ventilated,  when I say heavily ventilated from both sides, two walls are open, and it's happening;  then it feels almost like outdoor, that's different. Most homes are not made this way,  because they have neighbors. You can’t open too many windows. Too many openings won’t work. There is weather, there are many things, all right? And there is air conditioning. Worse.

So different shapes and sizes kind of create different kinds of energy structures.  These energy structures can, if they become very strong can determine... your psychological and emotional state,  which either can be conducive or can become an impediment in who you want to be.  So, certain substances like sandal in India, there is something called “sambrani” which is a very powerful thing, which is used even when people are ill. First thing they do is this, and  it is now been found it also kills certain types of bacteria in the air, and also on the surfaces,  so especially if there is a sick person in the house, sambrani everywhere. If they want to do some auspicious event, sambrani all over the place. It's a certain kind of resin, which, us… a tree drips.

Well, in this pursuit of sambrani, you will see in the forest there are massive trees. People would have carved into the tree because the… the trees look solid outside but inside there is a cavity. In that cavity, it will be dripping this resin.  We do not know, at least I do not know, what is the natural reason why these resins come out, but people go and gather this. It's a precious little material and you have to walk miles and miles to get substantial amount of resin, because these trees have to be mature. That means they must be at least over thirty to fifty years old. Otherwise you don't get it. This has a powerful impact on the atmosphere. It is not necessarily a fragrance. It is a different kind of thing that it clarifies the air. It just makes the atmosphere feel more lively.  

Fundamentally, it… whatever structures that are there, it will make indoor like outdoor. If you burn a mild amo… you shouldn't put too much, then you will sneeze and lose your brains. Just mild sambrani in the house will make it feel like, though you're indoors, the feeling is of outdoors.. because it's an unstructured space.  Especially if death happens in the family, sambrani is burnt for up to eleven to twelve days,  because they want to clear that air completely.